The Post-Black and Post-White Church

Efrem Smith, an internationally recognized and innovative African-American leader, offers a workable plan for connecting theology, practical ministry models, and real stories of people in multi-ethnic Christian communities. Using the example of Jesus, Smith develops a theology of multi-ethnic and missional leadership. Embracing urban and ethnic subcultures such as hip-hop, this book provides a rich mix of multi-ethnic church development, reconciliation theology, missional church thinking, and Christian community.

• Provides a common-sense approach to creating a multi-ethnic Christian community
• Includes practical ministry models and real stories of people who are members of thriving multi-ethnic congregations
• Author is acclaimed African-American thought leader who planted and led a multi-ethnic churches of close to 1,000 and now leads a regional division of a denominational committed to ethnic, multi-ethnic, and missional churches

This book is written for anyone wrestling with what it means to be a Christian in an increasingly multi-ethnic world polarized by class, politics, and race.

About the Jossey-Bass Leadership Network Series vii

Foreword by Curtiss Paul DeYoung ix

Introduction: Enter the Sanctuary xiii

1 Reconciling, Multi-Ethnic, and Missional 1

2 Moving the Church Beyond Crisis, Captivity, and Comfort 15

3 Compassion, Mercy, and Justice 41

4 Race 65

5 The Gift of the Black Church 93

6 Creating a Post-White Church 117

7 Leadership 145

8 The Beloved Life and Leadership Project 161

9 Starting, Shifting, and Sustaining 185

Notes 201

About the Author 207

Index 209

EFREM SMITH is an internationally recognized African-American leader and highly charismatic speaker. He is the former pastor of the Sanctuary Covenant Church and board chair of the Sanctuary Community Development Corporation in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is now superintendent of the Pacific Southwest Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC) denomination, located in Concord, California, and the author of Raising Young Heroes and The Hip-Hop Church.

The Post-Black and Post-White Church

Why is Sunday morning still the most segregated time in America? The key to creating and growing a more unified and holistic church is the multi-ethnic and Christ-centered community that offers a strong connection between theology and practical ministry models, and that nurtures believers who are wrestling with what it means to be the church of the Bible today.

Most books on racial reconciliation or multi-ethnic ministry center on the theological foundations, history, or social problem aspects of the topic. The Post-Black and Post-White Church offers apractical, hands-on blueprint for developing and sustaining a multi-ethnic and Christ-centered community. Written by Efrem Smith, an innovative and passionate African-American leader of the Covenant Evangelical Church and founding pastor of Sanctuary Covenant Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, this groundbreaking book shares his skills, experience, and wisdom for congregations who want to grow into a multi-ethnic, missional identity.

The Post-Black and Post-White Church connects theology and practical ministry models for wrestling with what it means to be church in an ever-increasingly multi-ethnic world that is polarized by class, politics, and race. The book embraces Jesus as one who was both Jewish and multi-ethnic and focuses on a theology of reconciled, multi-ethnic, and missional leadership.

Taking a broad view of today's culture, Smith shows how engaging urban and multi-ethnic subcultures such as hip-hop culture can further the mission of church. The Post-Black and Post-White Church bridges multi-ethnic church development, reconciliation theology, missional church development, and Christian community development.

Leadership Network

Leadership Network, a division of OneHundredX, seeks to accelerate the impact of 100X leaders. Since 1996, Leadership Network Publications has presented thoroughly researched and practical concepts from leading thinkers, practitioners, and pioneering churches. www.leadnet.org

THE POST - Black & POST - White CHURCH

Why is Sunday morning still the most segregated time in America? The key to creating and growing a more unified and holistic church is the multi-ethnic and Christ-centered community that offers a strong connection between theology and practical ministry models, and that nurtures believers who are wrestling with what it means to be the church of the Bible today.

Most books on racial reconciliation or multi-ethnic ministry center on the theological foundations, history, or social problem aspects of the topic. The Post-Black and Post-White Church offers a practical, hands-on blueprint for developing and sustaining a multi-ethnic and Christ-centered community. Written by Efrem Smith, an innovative and passionate African-American leader of the Covenant Evangelical Church and founding pastor of Sanctuary Covenant Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, this groundbreaking book shares his skills, experience, and wisdom for congregations who want to grow into a multi-ethnic, missional identity.

The Post-Black and Post-White Church connects theology and practical ministry models for wrestling with what it means to be church in an ever-increasingly multi-ethnic world that is polarized by class, politics, and race. The book embraces Jesus as one who was both Jewish and multi-ethnic and focuses on a theology of reconciled, multi-ethnic, and missional leadership.

Taking a broad view of today's culture, Smith shows how engaging urban and multi-ethnic subcultures such as hip-hop culture can further the mission of church. The Post-Black and Post-White Church bridges multi-ethnic church development, reconciliation theology, missional church development, and Christian community development.